An Overview of Corporate Books and Records

What are Corporate Books and Records?

The Business Corporations Act (“BCA”) requires you to maintain a book of the specific documents regarding your company if your company has been incorporated, amalgamated, or continued in BC. The types of records you must keep are detailed in section 42 of the BCA. Among others, you must include the register of directors, central securities register, and minutes of every meeting of shareholders.

Most commonly, companies store their records in a binder which organizes the document types by who can access those documents (BCA, s. 46).  

Records Office

Your records office is the place you store your corporate records and where designated people can visit to inspect them. Many business owners choose to keep their records at their law firm, not their registered office, so that their lawyer can review, revise, and add to your documents and ensure they are up-to-date and ready for inspection. Separate offices are allowed as long as you give the registrar the mailing and delivery addresses for the records and registered offices. Alternatively, you may choose to make your law firm your records office as well as your registered office. Your registered office is the address that people send notices, documents, or inquiries regarding your company.

Records Retention

You must keep your records, in an electronic, microfilmed, or in a bound or looseleaf form at your records office (BCA, s. 44(2)). These documents must be the complete records; without loss, mutilation, and destruction; and absent falsified entries (BCA, s. 44(4)). The office is required to provide simple, reliable, and prompt access to prescribed persons. 

If you have questions about your corporate books or seek a law firm to certify your documents, book a free consultation with us.